Written Answers Monday 26 February 2007

Scottish Executive

Asylum Seekers

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the action plan of the Strategic Group on Refugees and Asylum Seekers is complete and whether it will publish the action plan prior to dissolution of the Parliament.

Rhona Brankin: The group’s action plan is complete. However, given it will be drawn on in the further development of the  National Strategy and Action Plan , it will require to be published simultaneously with the strategy, as will the other three strategic groups’ reports.

  I have notified all strategic group members of the position and made clear to them that I am very pleased with their reports, and that it is the National Strategy and Action Plan which requires further work.

Central Heating

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many families with children under five are without central heating and what the cost would be of extending free central heating to those families.

Rhona Brankin: The Scottish House Condition Survey estimates that in the year from October 2003 to September 2004 there were around 7,000 families with children under the age of five without central heating. Individual installation costs vary but it is estimated that it would cost approximately £24 million to provide these families with central heating systems.

Crofting

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive who the members will be of the committee of inquiry into crofting led by Professor Mark Shucksmith; when the committee will start work, and what timescale is envisaged for it to report.

Sarah Boyack: Appointment of the members of the committee of inquiry will take place soon. Professor Shucksmith and his staff have already started preparatory work so that committee can start to make progress as soon as the members are appointed. The committee is expected to report within 12 months.

Drug Misuse

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated number is of drug injectors.

Cathy Jamieson: The most recent estimates of the number of problematic drug misusers, including injecting drug misusers are for 2003. They can be found in the publication Estimating the National and Local Prevalence of Problem Drug Misuse in Scotland at: http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/publications/local/prevreport2004.pdf .

Drug Misuse

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive how often, on average, cocaine users inject each day.

Cathy Jamieson: This information is not available centrally.

Education

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to encourage Chinese language teaching in schools.

Hugh Henry: The first objective of the Executive’s Strategy for Stronger Engagement with China , launched in August 2006, aims to raise understanding of Chinese language and culture and, specifically, to have at least 200 pupils studying for Chinese language national qualifications in Scottish schools by 2010. Accordingly, the Executive is working with the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) to develop qualifications in Chinese that will come on stream within the next two years. We are also working to ensure the timely and coordinated supply of Chinese language teachers (with General Teaching Council Scotland and the Confucius Institute at Edinburgh University) and the provision of appropriate curricular resources (with Learning and Teaching Scotland).

  In addition to the activities outlined in response to questions S2W-31814 on 26 February 2007 and S2W-31815 on 26 February 2007, the Executive also supports, and is a member of, the Scotland China Education Network (SCEN) that was established in 2006 and aims to:promote educational links between Scottish and Chinese schools by bringing together those involved to support each other and to share experiences and good practice.work in collaboration with the SQA and other national agencies to develop qualifications in Chinese language and culture.raise the understanding of Chinese language and culture in Scottish schools and promote the understanding of Scottish culture and education in Chinese schools.All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Education

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools offer Chinese language teaching.

Hugh Henry: We do not hold this information centrally at present. However, a list of China linked schools in Scotland has been collated by the Executive with British Council Scotland and the Scotland China Education Network, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number: 41961).

  The Executive has commissioned a national survey to establish the extent to which Scottish schools are engaging internationally, including with China, and the findings of this will be available in the spring. A more detailed research study is being undertaken by Strathclyde University to ascertain the number of schools teaching Chinese language and culture in Scotland, as well as evaluating possible areas of concern with regard to uptake, curricular developments and materials. Findings will be available towards the end of 2007.

Education

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what specific funding is available to local authorities for the teaching of Chinese language classes.

Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive has provided £346,000 over three years (2005-08) to the British Council Scotland to promote and administer a Scotland-China School Links Initiative, where up to 120 young Scots can learn Chinese and experience Chinese culture and way of life. The initiative also encourages Chinese Language Assistants to come to Scotland to teach Chinese and assists graduates from Scotland to travel to China as English language assistants. Further school links are being established through funding head teachers/teachers from Scottish schools to travel to China for one week visits, to establish new school links. There is also funding for head teachers and teachers to visit their partner schools to ensure that links can be consolidated and developed. Information, including application procedures are on the British Council Scotland website: http://www.britishcouncil.org/scotland.htm .

  The £4 million annual funding given to education authorities in 2006-07 for language learning and teaching can also be used by them to support the teaching of Chinese.

Education

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what non-European languages are taught in schools.

Hugh Henry: According to information provided to the Executive by education authorities in May 2006, the following non-European languages are taught in Scottish schools: Latin; Urdu; Hebrew; Cantonese; Bengali; Chinese; Punjabi; Parsi; Arabic, and Japanese.

Education

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-10320 and S2W-23761 by Peter Peacock on 17 September 2004 and 16 March 2006 respectively, whether it plans to record the literacy rate of people aged over 16 and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Allan Wilson: Previous research was carried out in 1996 through the International Adult Literacy Survey. Since the launch of Scotland’s Strategy’s for literacy and numeracy of 2001 over 137,000 adults have been helped to improve their low levels of literacy and numeracy. The Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department is considering commissioning research into how best to determine the current level of adult literacy rates.

Emergency Planning

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from emergency planning officers or emergency planning representatives’ groups in each year since 2002 about any lack of equipment to deal with a civil emergency incident involving a "dirty bomb", broken down by local authority area.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive is not aware of any representation since 2002, from either emergency planning officers or representative groups, about a lack of equipment to deal with a "dirty bomb". However, the Executive engages constantly with all the key representative organisations, including those covering local government interests, about all aspects of emergency planning and response. As a result of this dialogue Scotland’s capability for dealing with all types of emergency is improving continually.

Enterprise

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what specific steps it is taking to increase trade with China.

Nicol Stephen: In August 2006 we launched our China Strategy. Two key objectives within the strategy are increasing trade and expanding connections between businesses in both countries. Over the last two years the First Minister, The Finance Minister and I have visited China raising Scotland’s business profile, strengthening links and establishing partnerships. Last year we signed a co-operation agreement with Shangdong Province – China’s second largest regional economy.

  Scottish Development International (SDI) has offices in Beijing and Shanghai and has recently doubled its staff in China. SDI provides support services direct to Scottish companies looking to develop business in/with China. It has made additional investment in terms of awareness-raising about the opportunities and challenges of the Chinese market and in terms of information provision to Scottish companies. SDI works closely with key partners such as China Britain Business Council and UK Trade and Investment to deliver services, and seeks the support of the globalscot network to assist Scottish companies.

Enterprise

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates the value of trade with China to have been in each of the last three years.

Nicol Stephen: The following table details the estimated value of Scottish exports to China for the period 2003-05. Import estimates are not available at this level.

  Table 1: Estimated Scottish Exports to China (£ Million), 2003-05

  

2003
2004
2005


130
130
320



  Source: Scottish Executive Global Connections Survey 2005.

Event Scotland

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which projects received funding from EventScotland and how much each received from (a) EventScotland, (b) other public sector agencies and (c) the private sector in each of the last three financial years.

Patricia Ferguson: EventScotland has provided information on awards they have made to events and also by partners. This information has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 41886).

  Private sector support, however, is often provided on a value-in-kind basis or the levels of sponsorship are not made available to EventScotland. Therefore EventScotland do not hold figures which express a comprehensive value of support from this sector.

Event Scotland

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much money EventScotland secured in sponsorship from the private sector in each of the last three financial years.

Patricia Ferguson: Private sector sponsorship for events supported by EventScotland has provided welcome support to many events in the past three years. However, this support is often provided on a value-in-kind basis or the level of sponsorship is not made available to EventScotland. Therefore EventScotland do not hold figures which express a comprehensive value of private sector support.

Event Scotland

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much money was contributed by other public sector agencies to EventScotland projects in each of the last three years.

Patricia Ferguson: In each of the last three years the level of funding contributed by other public sector agencies to Eventscotland projects is as follows:

  

Year
Funding


2004-05
£1,409,404


2005-06
£2,449,938


2006-07
£3,315, 606

Fisheries

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how any relocation of the freshwater laboratory from Faskally in Perthshire would fit with its policy of public sector job dispersal.

Ross Finnie: There are no plans at this stage to relocate staff from the FRS facility at Faskally. Fisheries Research Services are however conducting an option appraisal exercise to ascertain whether or not further investment in the Faskally site represents good value for money, compared to a range of other options. Any decision will be consistent with the Scottish Executive’s relocation policy.

Fisheries

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) Scottish fishermen have lost their lives while working, (b) Scottish fishing vessels have been lost and (c) fatal accident inquiries concerning such fatalities have taken place in each of the last 10 years.

Ross Finnie: Information in relation to accidents involving fishing vessels and their crews is maintained on a UK basis by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) of the Department for Transport. MAIB have provided the following details in relation to Scottish registered fishing vessels which have been lost and the resulting crew fatalities. Records held by MAIB do not show the nationality of deceased persons to separately identify Scottish fishermen. Details for the UK overall are also shown. Information for 2006 is, at this stage, still provisional.

  

 
UK Registered Fishing Vessels Lost
Scottish Registered Fishing Vessels Lost
Fatalities from UK Registered Fishing Vessels
Fatalities from Scottish Registered Fishing Vessels


1997
23
14
29
11


1998
21
13
26
11


1999
33
24
9
6


2000
40
19
32
14


2001
34
20
10
5


2002
18
11
9
5


2003
28
17
11
8


2004
25
14
10
4


2005
34
19
9
4


2006
16
5
17
8



  Fatal accident inquiries (FAIs) fall within the responsibility of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS). Statistical information is kept by COPFS about the number of FAIs held but this data does not include details about the circumstances of the deaths being investigated to identify those related to fishing vessel fatalities.

Fuel Poverty

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many households were estimated to be fuel poor in each local authority area in the most recent year for which information is available.

Rhona Brankin: The latest figures available are for the year October 2003 to September 2004. The figures come from the Scottish House Condition Survey. Survey figures will always have an associated uncertainty. The following table shows the figures for each local authority with their associated 95% confidence interval, i.e. if we repeated the survey 20 times, 19 out of 20 times the figure would fall within the range shown.

  

Council Area
Fuel Poor Estimated Number of Households
95% Confidence Interval


Low
High


Aberdeen City 
15,500
14,200
16,800


Aberdeenshire
18,300
16,800
19,800


Angus
7,300
6,700
7,900


Argyll and Bute
8,200
7,500
8,900


Scottish Borders
10,600
9,700
11,500


Clackmannanshire
1,500
1,400
1,600


West Dunbartonshire 
3,700
3,500
3,900


Dumfries and Galloway
11,500
10,600
12,400


Dundee 
8,700
8,100
9,300


East Ayrshire
8,900
8,200
9,600


East Dunbartonshire 
5,000
4,600
5,400


East Lothian 
5,500
5,100
5,900


East Renfrewshire 
3,500
3,300
3,700


City of Edinburgh
14,200
13,700
14,700


Eilean Siar
4,300
3,800
4,800


Falkirk 
9,400
8,600
10,200


Fife 
20,000
18,900
21,100


City of Glasgow
38,300
36,400
40,200


Highland 
20,500
18,700
22,300


Inverclyde
6,400
5,900
6,900


Midlothian 
4,300
4,000
4,600


Moray
8,600
7,800
9,400


North Ayrshire
8,300
7,700
8,900


North Lanarkshire 
14,100
13,400
14,800


Orkney
3,200
2,900
3,500


Perth and Kinross
13,000
11,800
14,200


Renfrewshire
7,900
7,500
8,300


Shetlands
2,500
2,300
2,700


South Ayrshire
10,900
9,800
12,000


South Lanarkshire 
21,000
19,200
22,800


Stirling 
6,800
6,300
7,300


West Lothian 
6,400
6,000
6,800


Scotland 
328,100
323,900
332,300

Gypsies/Travellers

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the action plan of the Strategic Group on Gypsies/Travellers is complete and whether it will publish the action plan prior to dissolution of the Parliament.

Rhona Brankin: The Strategic Group’s Action Plan is complete. However, given it will be drawn on in the further development of the National Strategy and Action Plan, it will require to be published simultaneously with the strategy, as will the other three strategic groups’ reports.

  I have notified all strategic group members of the position and made clear to them that I am very pleased with their reports, and that it is the National Strategy and Action Plan which requires further work.

Higher Education

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students completed degrees in which the principal subject was computer-related in each year since 1997.

Nicol Stephen: The number of students graduating from Scottish higher education institutions (HEIs) with a first degree in which the principal subject was computer-related is shown in the following table.

  First Degree Graduates in Computer Related Subjects from Scottish HEIs 1996-97 to 2005-06

  

Year
Number of Graduates


1996-97
650


1997-98
595


1998-99
650


1999-2000
860


2000-01
910


2001-02
1,055


2002-03
1,235


2003-04
1,605


2004-05
1,560


2005-06
1,505



  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency.Notes:All figures have been rounded to the nearest five.The coding system for subjects was changed from the period 2002-03, providing more detail in the area of computing. This might have affected the counts to a small extent. Bell College and UHIMI became HEIs in 2001-02.

Livestock

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what effect it considers its draft animal gatherings order will have on traditional agricultural shows.

Ross Finnie: There is evidence that biosecurity standards within the livestock industry generally have declined in recent years and the draft order is intended to improve biosecurity at animal gatherings. Any occasion when animals are brought together from different sources brings a degree of animal disease risk, hence the importance to biosecurity of clear periods before and after such events.

  I cannot yet give precise details of how we will achieve the difficult balances between what is our ideal position and what is practical, achievable and proportionate but we will include in revised proposals the option for farmers who let out their land for agricultural shows to choose either to observe a 27 day post show clear period, or to restock the land after the event, with animals moved back on to the area used for the show being subject to a 13 day standstill.I am also aware that there appears to be a degree of misunderstanding about the role of the biosecurity officer at shows. This person will not be expected to have undertaken training nor indeed carry any legal responsibility but will, if contacted, be required to satisfy the relevant authorities on a range of matters associated with running the show in compliance with the licence conditions.Officials will now clarify a number of matters arising from the consultation and develop revised proposals and associated guidance for further consultation in due course.

Maternity Services

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what increase in demand for maternity services in Glasgow is predicted as a result of centralisation of services and the downgrading of consultant units in outlying areas to midwife-led units.

Lewis Macdonald: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde advise me that no increase in demand for maternity services is anticipated as a result of proposed service changes in Glasgow or elsewhere.

Maternity Services

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the increase in migrants from Poland and elsewhere in Eastern Europe was taken into account when deciding that two maternity units were needed in Glasgow.

Lewis Macdonald: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde advise me that they undertook a detailed review of birth projections before the board made the decision to move from three to two maternity units. This work which was carried out in partnership with the Registrar General’s Office, took into account migration assumptions and the potential impact of demographics of the asylum seeker population.

Maternity Services

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the decision to decrease the capacity of Glasgow’s maternity services, given that the decision was based on declining population predictions whereas current figures show an increase in population.

Lewis Macdonald: The agreed strategy for maternity services will see services currently provided at the Queen Mother’s Hospital transferred to the Southern General Maternity Unit and the Princess Royal Maternity Unit. Capacity at both of these sites will be increased to handle the transferred activity. A new 18 bed ward has already opened at the Princess Royal Maternity unit and an outline business case has been approved by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to refurbish and extend facilities at the Southern General Maternity unit.

Maternity Services

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the optimal working capacity for maternity hospitals is considered to be.

Lewis Macdonald: NHS boards are responsible for designing healthcare services, including acute maternity services, to meet the needs of the populations for which they are responsible. Services are expected to meet quality and other standards established by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland and to comply with guidelines provided by the relevant Royal Colleges. Boards also take account of developments in clinical practice, for example in terms of trends in lengths of stay. In addition, Scottish Executive policy set out in Delivering for Health and elsewhere makes clear that services must be responsive to patients and place patients at the centre of their care.

  In designing services, boards will also take account of the design and capacity of comparable services in other parts of the UK.Within this framework, it is for boards to decide on the capacity of acute services, including acute maternity services. The Scottish Executive has not issued guidance on the subject of acute service capacity.

NHS Staff

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how long on average existing (a) executive directors, (b) senior managers, (c) middle managers, (d) consultant medical staff and (e) nurses have been in their current posts in the NHS.

Mr Andy Kerr: Table one shows the average length of time in years that staff on senior management grades, medical consultants and registered nurses have been in their existing posts in NHS Scotland, as at 30 September 2006. Middle managers cannot be explicitly identified from centrally held data, therefore are not included in the table.

  Table 1: Average Length of Time for Staff on Senior Management Grades, Consultant Medical Staff And Registered Nurses have been in Existing Posts as at 30 September 2006

  

Staff group
Average Length of Time in Post (Years)3


Consultant Medical Staff
8.83


Senior Management Grades1
10.70


Registered Nurses2
9.33



  Notes:1. Senior Management Grades, including executive directors and senior managers.2. Includes registered nurses, registered midwives and senior nurse managers.3. Calculated as the average time between date started in post and 30 September 2006.

Planning

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have active policies, based on PAN 74, that set specific requirements on developers to provide affordable homes; how many affordable housing unit planning consents have been secured, and how many affordable homes had been built under such requirements in each local authority area and in total by March 2006.

Des McNulty: This information is not held centrally at present. PAN 74 on affordable housing was introduced in March 2005 and it will take time for all local authorities to adopt affordable housing policies in line with this advice as part of their overall planning policies and for new homes to be built. Early indications are that planning authorities are adopting affordable housing policies that reflect the advice in PAN 74 and that these are beginning to deliver additional affordable housing units. However, we are putting monitoring arrangements in place to assess the effectiveness of the advice in PAN 74.

Planning

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many affordable housing unit planning consents were secured between March 2005 and March 2006, also broken down by local authority area.

Des McNulty: This information is not held centrally.

Police

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions members of the armed forces have been deployed in Scotland in support of policing operations in each year since 1999, broken down by police force.

Cathy Jamieson: This information is not held centrally. Scottish police forces may call on support from the armed forces under the terms of Military Aid to the Civil Authorities. It is for individual Chief Constables to decide whether they require assistance from the armed forces for specific operations.

Population

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its predictions are for population growth and subsequent numbers of births in Glasgow.

George Lyon: Information on Glasgow’s projected future population, and the projected number of births in the city, is available from the General Register Office for Scotland’s website through the following link:  http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/library/popproj/04pop-proj-scottishareas/index.html .

Racial Equality

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-31758 by Rhona Brankin on 14 February 2007, what elements of the race equality strategy require further development.

Rhona Brankin: The main elements which we wish to further develop are the balance in the strategy between a focus on preventing racism and on tackling it, the relationship between issues of faith and race and the terminology and definitions used. However, we have received feedback from a very wide range of stakeholders covering the whole strategy and we want to consider all of it carefully in revising the strategy.

Racial Equality

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-31758 by Rhona Brankin on 14 February 2007, what additional consultees will inform the further development of the race equality strategy.

Rhona Brankin: We have already consulted a very wide range of stakeholders on the draft strategy, who have provided valuable feedback. The Executive will consult them again once the strategy has been further developed and following careful consideration of their comments. We will consult further stakeholders as is necessary, and will issue the Draft National Strategy and Action Plan for public consultation.

Racial Equality

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the action plan of the Strategic Group on Ethnic Minorities and the Labour Market is complete and whether it will publish the action plan prior to dissolution of the Parliament.

Rhona Brankin: The Ethnic Minorities and the Labour Market Strategic Group’s action plan is complete. However, given it will be drawn on in the further development of the National Strategy and Action Plan, it will require to be published simultaneously with the strategy, as will the other three strategic groups’ reports.

  I have notified all strategic group members of the position and made clear to them that I am very pleased with their reports, and that it is the National Strategy and Action Plan which requires further work.

Racial Equality

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the action plan of the Strategic Group on Race Equality in Rural Areas is complete and whether it will publish the action plan prior to dissolution of the Parliament.

Rhona Brankin: The Race Equality in Rural Areas Strategic Group’s Action Plan is complete. However, given it will be drawn on in the further development of the National Strategy and Action Plan, it will require to be published simultaneously with the strategy, as will the other three strategic groups’ reports.

  I have notified all strategic group members of the position and made clear to them that I am very pleased with their reports, and that it is the National Strategy and Action Plan which requires further work.

Rail Network

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many crimes were reported and responded to on train services and in stations in each of the last four years.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information is shown in the following table.

  Crimes and Offences Recorded by the British Transport Police in Scotland, 2002-03 to 2005-06

  

2002-03
10,344


2003-04
 9,892


2004-05
 9,487


2005-06
 8,146



  Note: These include all crimes and offences recorded by the British Transport Police, and not only those occurring on trains and in stations. For example, any instances of graffiti/vandalism of signal boxes or trespass on railway lines that have been recorded will have been included.

Road Accidents

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many hit and run incidents there were where the driver was subsequently identified as having been (a) under the influence of (i) alcohol and (ii) drugs, (b) uninsured and (c) unlicensed in each of the last five years.

Cathy Jamieson: The information requested is not held centrally.

Scottish Environment Protection Agency

Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that the Scottish Environment Protection Agency is interpreting and enforcing regulations in a proportionate manner.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency takes individual regulatory decisions independently of the Executive. The Executive is, nevertheless, satisfied that the agency seeks to ensure that it acts within the requirements of the legislation and its approach to regulation is fair, transparent and proportionate to the risk to the environment and human health.

Travellers

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the final report of the strategic group on Gypsies/Travellers will include measurable targets with allocated budgets.

Rhona Brankin: The Gypsy/Traveller Strategic Group did not include measurable targets with allocated resources in their report, which they have finalised. These are matters for consideration in the further development of the Executive’s National Strategy and Action Plan which the group’s report is informing.

Warm Deal

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-31570 by Rhona Brankin on 12 February 2007, whether the £56,000 which is to be spent on Warm Deal measures in council-owned properties in Inverclyde in 2007-08 will be re-allocated to houses that are to be transferred from Inverclyde Council to River Clyde Homes in October 2007 following the ballot of council house tenants.

Rhona Brankin: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Inverclyde Council has confirmed that it expects the total allocation of Warm Deal funding to be spent in full by the local authority by the time stock transfer takes place.